Building Diversity: A Survey of California Foundation Demographics, Policies and Practices

In the fall of 2007, Northern California Grantmakers (in partnership with Southern California Grantmakers and San Diego Grantmakers) commissioned the Foundation Center to conduct two studies on diversity in philanthropy in California. The first of these studies examined the extent to which grantmaking by large California foundations serves populations of color. Titled Embracing Diversity: Foundation Giving to California’s Communities of Color, this study was released in June 2008. The present study reports findings from a survey that collected baseline data from 115 California foundations on the demographic composition of their boards and staffs and on the types of diversity-related data collection and grantmaking in which they are involved.